A Shot of Redemption: The Story of Will Kane

[PotatoOfCouch13]

...continued

I called in at 2pm. I was nervous, but confident. I just hope they don’t bring up my time in Kansas City.

“Will? You there Will?”

“Yep, right here.”

“Will! Hey, this is DJ. Thanks again for agreeing to do this.”

“No problem, just don’t make me regret it!”

“Hey Will, this is Rock. Alright, this is how it’s gonna go down. We’re going to alternate asking questions. We’ll only do 6 to 8, because we know you’ve got other stuff to handle. Anything that we should lay off of?”

“No, fire away.”

“Great, we’re in commercial now, but we’ll be back in 2 minutes, just sit tight.”

*

“Welcome back to DJ and the Rock here on Seattle’s sports radio KJR. This is DJ…”

“And this is the Rock.”

“And Rocky, we have a special guest joining us on the hotline right now.”

“I’m legitimately excited, DJ. This guy seems to have a grand plan for our beloved Mariners, hopefully he’ll be able to carry it out. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Mariners GM Will Kane!”

“Hello guys.” Off to a great start! “Thanks for having me on the program.”

As decided before the segment, DJ got the first question in. “It’s our pleasure, Will. Glad you could be joining us! Now I know you’ve got a lot of things to deal with, what with tonight being the home opener and all, so we’ll welcome you to Seattle with some softballs. You’re not a household name around these parts, why don’t you tell us a little about yourself?”

Not a tricky question, but one that I could manage to mess up somehow. “I was born and raised outside of Cleveland, went to the University of Missouri to study business law. I’ve always enjoyed baseball, despite having to cheer for some dreadful Indians teams…”

“Not a lot of change since then, huh?” Rocky with the zinger!

“True! But my appreciation for the game was great, and I jumped at the chance to work for the Royals out of college. So I joined up with Kansas City in 1983, and worked my way up to assistant General Manager. I left after 1988 to pursue other ventures, and now I’m back in baseball.”

Rocky got off the next question. “Will, what were your thoughts when you first saw the talent, or lack thereof, on this team, and can you tell us what the lineup for tonight’s game will be?”

“Yes I can, Rock. We’ll be going Reynolds, Briley, Leonard, Davis, Griffey, Martinez, Buhner, Bradley, and Vizquel against Bob Welch tonight. We’ll try and stick to this order for most of the year, with Dave Valle and Bradley platooning at catcher. And to be honest, I jumped at the chance. During my tenure in Kansas City, I was able to work closely with the director of minor league scouting, and I was able to pick up some signs on good prospects. I see a lot of talent here, especially with Junior in centerfield.”

“Will, we know that there are a large number of players’ contracts that are up for renewal at the end of this season. Can you shed some light on the negotiations so far?”

“To tell you the truth, I haven’t really thought too much about that. I’d like to see how those players perform before we commit money to them.”

*

The interview was going really well. I really felt at home with both DJ and the Rock. A little too much, in fact: I was on the phone for almost half an hour.

“Alright, Will, last question: gun to your head – how many wins do the Mariners get this year?”

“Guys, I think this will be it. I’m going to say 82 wins. That’ll get us 4th place in the AL West. I feel this team is good enough to contend through July, and we’ll reward the city of Seattle for its patience with a .500 season. Oh, can I make an announcement? Pending the commissioner’s approval, we’ve finalized a trade with the Boston Red Sox.”

“Wow! Did you manage to pry Roger Clemens away from them?”

“Not quite, though I do like the optimism! No, it’ll be a straight up 1-for-1 trade, Pete O’Brien heading east for lefty reliever Rob Murphy.”

“Sounds like a good deal. Thanks again to Mariners GM Will Kane for joining us today. Will, sorry for keeping you long, but it was worth every second. Time to pay the bills, you’re listening to DJ and the Rock on Mariner Monday, here on KJR”

[PotatoOfCouch13]

5. Opening Day Roster 1990

POSITION PLAYERS (scouting is +/- 10)

CATCHERS

Scott Bradley [77] - C - #9
Age: 30 - 7th season
Acquired: Trade with White Sox - 6/26/1986
Contract: $271K through 1990 (Arb.)
*
1989: .274/.322/.367, 3 HR, 37 RBI
Career: .271/.311/.369, 17 HR, 144 RBI

Dave Valle [73] - C - #10
Age: 29 - 7th season
Acquired: Draft #2 - 6/6/1978
Contract: $520K through 1990 (Arb.)
*
1989: .237/.311/.354, 7 HR, 34 RBI
Career: .243/.299/.397, 35 HR, 160 RBI

PAST: Dave got into the most games last season, but both guys have plenty of experience as both a starter and a backup.

PRESENT: Bradley, who hits lefthanded, will start against righty pitchers. Valle, who is a righty, will start against lefties.

FUTURE: 18-year-old Chris Widger will begin his first professional season with the AZL Mariners in Rookie ball.

INFIELDERS

Alvin Davis [89] - 1B - #21
Age: 29 - 7th season
Acquired: Draft #6 - 6/7/1982
Contract: $2.4M through 1990
*
1989: .305/.424/.496, 21 HR, 95 RBI
Career: .290/.392/.474, 131 HR, 530 RBI

Harold Reynolds [75] - 2B - #4
Age: 29 - 8th season
Acquired: Spec. Draft #2 - 6/3/1980
Contract: $1.2M through 1990
*
1989: .300/.359/.369, 0 HR, 43 RBI, 25 SB
Career: .266/.323/.348, 6 HR, 150 RBI, 154 SB

Edgar Martinez [87] - 3B - #11
Age: 27 - 4th season
Acquired: Amateur Free Agent - 12/19/1982
Contract: $87K until Arbitration (1991)
*
1989: .240/.314/.304, 2 HR, 20 RBI
Career: .268/.336/.366, 2 HR, 30 RBI

Omar Vizquel [81] - SS - #13
Age: 22 - 2nd season
Acquired: Amateur Free Agent - 4/1/1984
Contract: $87K until Arbitration (1991)
*
1989: .220/.273/.261, 1 HR, 20 RBI
Career: .220/.273/.261, 1 HR, 20 RBI

Dave Cochrane [70] - IF - #43
Age: 27 - 3rd season
Acquired: Trade with Royals - 2/3/1988
Contract: $87K until Arbitration (1991)
*
1989: .235/.333/.382, 3 HR, 7 RBI
Career: .220/.304/.341, 4 HR, 9 RBI

Brian Giles [68] - 2B/SS - #29
Age: 29 - 6th season
Acquired: Free Agent - 11/2/1989
Contract: $87K through 1990 (Arb.)
*
1986: .273/.273/.273, 0 HR, 1 RBI
Career: .228/.291/.292, 6 HR, 39 RBI

PAST: “Mr. Mariner” Davis and Reynolds have manned their positions for the last 4 seasons, longer in Alvin’s case. 3B Jim Presley leaves for Atlanta via free agency, and Vizquel struggled through a tough rookie season offensively

PRESENT: Davis, Reynolds, and Vizquel return for their 2nd season as a double-play trio. Edgar Martinez will try and shoulder the responsibility of the hot corner.

FUTURE: 1B Tino Martinez should be ready by the end of the season, 1B Greg Pirkl is a longer wait, but should be just as talented. 2Bmen Bret Boone and Fernando Vina are set to tear up the middle levels. SS Andy Sheets could become a valuable utilityman.

OUTFIELDERS

Greg Briley [77] - LF - #8
Age: 24 - 3rd season
Acquired: Spec. Draft #1 - 6/2/1986
Contract: $87K until Arbitration (1991)
*
1989: .266/.366/.442, 13 HR, 52 RBI, 11 SB
Career: .265/.336/.437, 14 HR, 56 RBI, 11 SB

Ken Griffey, Jr. [87] - CF - #24
Age: 20 - 2nd season
Acquired: Draft #1 - 6/2/1987
Contract: $87K until Arbitration (1991)
*
1989: .264/.329/.420, 16 HR, 61 RBI, 16 SB
Career: .264/.329/.420, 16 HR, 61 RBI, 16 SB

Jay Buhner [86] - RF - #19
Age: 25 - 4th season
Acquired: Trade with Yankees - 7/21/1988
Contract: $130K until Arbitration (1990)
*
1989: .275/.341/.490, 9 HR, 33 RBI
Career: .240/.316/.446, 22 HR, 72 RBI

Jeffrey Leonard [74] - DH - #00
Age: 34 - 14th season
Acquired: Free Agent - 12/7/1988
Contract: $970K through 1990
*
1989: .254/.301/.420, 24 HR, 93 RBI
Career: .268/.313/.416, 134 HR, 648 RBI

Darnell Coles [70] - 3B/OF - #33
Age: 27 - 8th season
Acquired: Trade with Pirates - 7/22/1988
Contract: $1.0M through 1991
*
1989: .252/.294/.359, 10 HR, 59 RBI
Career: .247/.311/.390, 57 HR, 271 RBI

Henry Cotto [71] - OF - #28
Age: 29 - 7th season
Acquired: Trade with Yankees - 12/22/1987
Contract: $520K through 1990
*
1989: .264/.300/.407, 9 HR, 33 RBI, 10 SB
Career: .258/.297/.371, 24 HR, 106 RBI, 54 SB

PAST: Griffey and Briley were both thrown into the fire as rookies last season, but both performed ably. Rightfield duty was split between Coles and Buhner

PRESENT: Junior and Briley look to pick up where they left off their rookie campaigns, and Buhner gets his first crack at starting in rightfield. Coles will be the first man off the bench, and serve as a super-utilityman.

FUTURE: You’re looking at it, with all 3 starters at age 25 or younger. CF Manny Martinez is still a few years away from contributing.

*

PITCHING STAFF (scouting is +/- 10)

ROTATION

Scott Bankhead [78] - SP - #15
Age: 26 - 5th season
Acquired: Trade with Kansas City - 12/10/1986
Contract: $920K through 1990 (Arb.)
*
1989: 14-6, 3.34 ERA, 140 K, .235 BAA
Career: 38-32, 4.03 ERA, 431 K, .247 BAA

Erik Hanson [79] - SP - #39
Age: 24 - 3rd season
Acquired: Draft #2 - 6/22/1986
Contract: $97K until Arbitration (1991)
*
1989: 9-5, 3.18 ERA, 75 K, .241 BAA
Career: 11-8, 3.19 ERA, 111 K, .237 BAA

Randy Johnson [92] - SP - #51
Age: 26 - 3rd season
Acquired: Trade with Expos - 5/25/1989
Contract: $171K until Arbitration (1991)
*
1989: 7-13, 4.82 ERA, 130 K, .240 BAA
Career: 10-13, 4.48 ERA, 155 K, .238 BAA

Brian Holman [80] - SP - #36
Age: 25 - 3rd season
Acquired: Trade with Expos - 5/25/1989
Contract: $103K until Arbitration (1990)
*
1989: 9-12, 3.67 ERA, 105 K, .261 BAA
Career: 13-20, 3.52 ERA, 163 K, .260 BAA

Bill Swift [81] - SP - #18
Age: 28 - 5th season
Acquired: Draft #1 - 6/4/1984
Contract: $420K through 1990 (Arb.)
*
1989: 7-3, 4.43 ERA, 45 K, .274 BAA
Career: 23-34, 4.78 ERA, 202 K, .288 BAA

BULLPEN

Matt Young [77] - LR - #30
Age: 31 - 7th season
Acquired: Free Agent - 12/15/1989
Contract: $117K through 1990
*
1989: 1-4, 6.75 ERA, 27 K, .282 BAA
Career: 43-60, 4.48 ERA, 490 K, .270 BAA

Gene Harris [70] - MR - #49
Age: 25 - 2nd season
Acquired: Trade with Expos - 5/25/1989
Contract: $87K until Arbitration (1991)
*
1989: 2-5, 5.91 ERA, 25 K, .301 BAA
Career: 2-5, 5.91 ERA, 25 K, .301 BAA

Rob Murphy [71] - SR - #46
Age: 29 - 6th season
Acquired: Trade with Red Sox - 4/1/1990
Contract: $650K through 1990 (Arb.)
*
1989: 5-7, 2.74 ERA, 107 K, .245 BAA
Career: 19-18, 2.65 ERA, 317 K, .225 BAA

Jerry Reed [80] - SR - #31
Age: 34 - 9th season
Acquired: Free Agent - 4/11/1986
Contract: $800K through 1990
*
1989: 7-7, 3.19 ERA, 50 K, .229 BAA
Career: 18-17, 3.84 ERA, 229 K, .252 BAA

Mike Jackson [77] - SU - #38
Age: 25 - 5th season
Acquired: Trade with Phillies - 12/9/1987
Contract: $470K through 1990 (Arb.)
*
1989: 4-6, 3.17 ERA, 94 K, .218 BAA, 7 SV
Career: 13-21, 3.36 ERA, 266 K, .213 BAA, 12 SV

Mike Schooler [76] - CL - #40
Age: 27 - 3rd season
Acquired: Draft #2 - 6/3/1985
Contract: $87K until Arbitration (1990)
*
1989: 1-7, 2.81 ERA, 69 K, .263 BAA, 33 SV
Career: 6-15, 3.54 ERA, 123 K, .254 BAA, 15 SV

PAST: Mark Langston was traded last season, meaning the Mariners have to rebuild their pitching staff…again.

PRESENT: Only time will tell if the Langston trade paid off, and Johnson, Holman, and Harris will go a long way to deciding that. Bankhead, Hanson, and Swift are all coming off of winning seasons. The bullpen is strong, especially with Jackson bridging to Schooler. Reed and Murphy provide stability, while Young will get some starts if injuries occur.

FUTURE: The future is bright, but a few years away, as Dave Fleming, Dave Burba, and Kazuhiro Sasaki headline a group of young, talented arms.

40-MAN ROSTER

Matt Sinatro [79] - C - #17
Chris Howard [62] - C - #41
Tino Martinez [76] - 1B - #14
Fernando Vina [69] - 2B - #1
Mike Brumley [59] - SS - #7
Jeff Schaefer [60] - SS - #2
Rich Amaral [73] - OF - #26
Alonzo Powell [74] - OF - #22
Brian Turang [63] - OF - #20

Bryan Clark [66] - RP - #45
Rich DeLucia [71] - RP - #55
Mike Gardiner [74] - RP - #23
Scott Medvin [78] - RP - #53
Jose Melendez [71] - RP - #54
Dennis Powell [67] - RP - #48

COACHES & STAFF

Jim Lefebvre - MAN - #5
Julio Cruz - BENCH - #6
Gene Clines - HITTING - #16
Mike Paul - PITCHING - #35
Rusty Kuntz - 1B COACH - #47
Bill Plummer - 3B COACH - #3
Bob Didier - BULLPEN - #44
Rick Griffin - TRAINER
Henry Genzale - EQUIP. MAN.
Dr. Larry Pedegana - PHYSICIAN
Dr. Mitchel Storey – PHYSICIAN

[PotatoOfCouch13]

6. First Pitch

I took my seat in the management skybox about an hour before the first pitch. The A’s were just finishing up batting practice, looking every bit as good as the World Championship team from last season. With Rickey Henderson, Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, and former Mariner great Dave Henderson, they certainly have an impressive lineup of sluggers.

The A’s are also one of the best pitching teams in the league, with Bob Welch, Dave Stewart, and former Mariner great Mike Moore anchoring the rotation, and Gene Nelson, former Mariner great (notice a pattern here?) Rick Honeycutt, and Dennis Eckersley in the bullpen. We certainly have a daunting task to start the season.

*

The final strains of the Star-Spangled Banner vanished into the deepest, darkest recesses of the Kingdome as the Mariners took the field, sporting the cleanest home whites that the season will ever see. The smell of hot dogs was too much, as I called over a vendor and indulged myself.

Scott Bankhead toed the rubber after his final warm-up pitch. I knew Scott from my days in Kansas City, where he spent his rookie season. He actually was traded for Danny Tartabull, in arguably one of the worst trades in the history of the Seattle franchise, but one of the best for the Royals. For the record, I had a lot to do with that trade.

[PotatoOfCouch13]

continued...

1ST INNING: Bankhead was relaxed, and it showed. He retired the side in order, getting speedster Rickey Henderson to ground out, Carney Lansford to fly out, and striking out Jose Canseco on a nasty sinker.

Harold Reynolds stepped in, and lined a Bob Welch fastball back up the middle for a base hit. Harold may not be the fastest man in baseball, but he did rack up 60 steals in 1988, and had recorded 25 or more thefts in each of the last 4 seasons, so Welch had to pay attention to the runner dancing off first. Fortunately for the A’s, the Mariners couldn’t move Harold into scoring position, as Greg Briley and Jeffrey Leonard both flied out to left field. With Alvin Davis at the plate, Reynolds decided he couldn’t wait any longer. Catcher Terry Steinbach’s throw was true, and Reynolds was tagged out for the 3rd out.

2ND INNING: Bankhead returned to the mound, and coolly struck out Mark McGwire and Troy Neel, again with that nasty sinker of his. Steinbach managed the first Oakland hit, a double into the left-field corner, but former Mariner Dave Henderson popped out to end the frame.

Alvin Davis again stepped up to bat. “Mr. Mariner” is probably the greatest to ever don the royal blue and gold, and is the all-time leader in almost every offensive stat. And although he isn’t quite the gloveman the caliber of Don Mattingly or Keith Hernandez, he’s certainly no slough with the leather. Unfortunately (and unusually), Davis struck out on 3 pitches. Ken Griffey Jr. was up next, pinwheeling the bat in his usual fashion. Griffey watched 3 balls go by, setting up a 3-0 pitch. It was a fastball, low in the zone, and Junior took a hefty swing. However, the ball shot straight to shortstop, and Junior was retired. He knew he should’ve crushed that pitch, but just missed it. Edgar Martinez singled and Jay Buhner walked to start a 2-out rally, but Scott Bradley struck out to end the inning.

3RD INNING: Bankhead followed the same formula from the 2nd inning: get two outs, give up a double (this time to Rickey), then retire the side.

Omar Vizquel led off the bottom of the inning with a base hit, and was promptly sacrificed to 2nd base by Reynolds. After Briley flew out and Leonard walked, Alvin Davis grounded to second to strand the runners.

4TH INNING: With one swing of his mighty bat, Jose Canseco launched a towering home run to deep centerfield. A’s 1, Mariners 0. Mark McGwire followed suit, lining a home run just over the fence in right field. A’s 2, Mariners 0. The side was retired with only a single to Steinbach.

The Mariners tried to strike back with an answer. Junior was sitting dead red, but was way out in front of a 2-2 curveball. He was set on getting around on that fastball. Edgar followed with a walk, but Jay struck out for the 2nd out of the inning. Fortunately, back-to-back singles by Bradley and Omar brought in the 3rd baseman for the M’s first run of the season. A’s 2, Mariners 1.

5TH INNING: An important rule of pitching: never walk the #2 hitter with 2 outs. You’ll only leave yourself in the line of fire. Sure enough, a 2-out walk to Carney Lansford put the bat in the bulging biceps of Jose Canseco, who blasted a home run to right-centerfield. A’s 4, Mariners 1.

With two outs, Alvin Davis drew a walk. Another rule for pitchers: don’t walk the batter in front of Ken Griffey, Jr. Junior got his fastball in a 3-1 count, and drove it into the left-centerfield bleachers. A’s 4, Mariners 3. A walk and a single put runners on the corners, but Bradley could do nothing with them.

6TH INNING: Scott set down the A’s 1-2-3.

Bob Welch was done for the day. Tony LaRussa decided that Todd Burns would be the best option to start the bridge to Eckersley. With one out, Harold Reynolds looped a base hit down the left field line, and slid into 2nd base ahead of the throw. It’s generally bad practice to steal 3rd base with a lefty at bat, but Harold slid in safely when Steinbach couldn’t make a clean transfer. Not that it mattered, as Briley lined a gap shot double into right field, tying the game. Mariners 4, A’s 4. Burns lost his nerve, walking Leonard and Davis on 8 pitches, and loading the bases with 1 out for Junior. With the home crowd screaming, Junior couldn’t deliver this time, missing a fastball for strike 3. Edgar followed with a lineout, and the A’s escaped with the game tied.

7TH INNING: Jerry Reed was brought in to pitch, hoping to keep the A’s off the board. He did manage to get 2 quick outs, but that brought up Rickey Henderson. The speedster singled and stole second. Carney Lansford was walked intentionally (with 2 outs???), bringing up Jose Canseco. Jose didn’t disappoint, driving in Rickey with an RBI single. A’s 5, Mariners 4. Mark McGwire walked to load the bases, and Reed was gone, replaced by Rob Murphy. Troy Neel greeted him with a 2-run single. A’s 7. Mariners 4. Steinbach grounded out, but the A’s had regained the lead…

…but for how long? Turns out, not very. Burns gave up back-to-back singles to Buhner and Bradley before getting pulled in favor of Joe Klink. That didn’t stop the hit parade, as Vizquel singled to load the bases. Reynolds followed with another single, scoring 2 runs. A’s 7, Mariners 6. Briley followed with (guess) yet another single, scoring Vizquel. Mariners 7, A’s 7. Reynolds was thrown out trying to advance to 3rd, and Leonard grounded into a double play, but the Mariners had again answered the challenge.

8TH INNING: Mike Jackson entered the game, and quickly got 3 outs, proving himself as one of the best setup men in all of baseball.

Klink remained on the mound, but walked Davis and hit Junior with a pitch. LaRussa had seen enough, and brought in Gene Nelson to put out the fire. Nelson had spent 2 seasons with the Mariners, but was largely ineffective, which would be a good way to describe his performance today. After walking Edgar to load the bases, Nelson surrendered a single to Buhner, giving the Mariners their first lead of the game. Mariners 9, A’s 7. Bradley followed with an RBI single of his own. Mariners 10, A’s 7. Vizquel was hit by a pitch, reloading the bases. LaRussa, realizing the error of his ways, brought in another former Mariner, Rick Honeycutt. Honeycutt stopped the bleeding, but gave up a run on a groundout. Mariners 11, A’s 7.

9TH INNING: With Mike Schooler unavailable (family emergency), Jackson was left to try and close the game out for himself. He would face the daunting task of the top of the A’s order. A walk by Rickey and a single by Lansford brought up Jose Canseco, who hit his 3rd home run of the game. Mariners 11, A’s 10. Mark McGwire represented the tying run, but Jackson reared back and struck out the slugger. Troy Neel grounded feebly to short, and Terry Steinbach popped out to the 2nd baseman to end the game.

Mariners 11, A’s 10
W: Mike Jackson (1-0, 13.50)
L: Joe Klink (0-1, 27.00)

OAKLAND (0-1)
- 2B: Rickey Henderson (1), Terry Steinbach (1)
- HR: Jose Canseco 3 (3), Mark McGwire (1)
- SB: Rickey Henderson (1)
SEATTLE (1-0)
- 2B: Harold Reynolds (1), Greg Briley (1)
- HR: Ken Griffey Jr. (1)
- SB: Harold Reynolds (1)

[soxfan93]

Nice win. Scott Bankhead should not be the ace. It should be Randy Johnson.

Just my opinion.

[PotatoOfCouch13]

soxfan93: Thank you!

As for my ace, I chose Bankhead because of his numbers from 1989. Although Randy Johnson is rated higher, my scouting is +/- 10. I just felt more comfortable with someone who was 14-6 with a 3.34 ERA starting the opener than a 7-13, 4.82 ERA pitcher.

Just my opinion.

*

7. My ‘Meeting’ with Jeff

“Mr. Kane? Jeff Smulyan on line 1.”

“Thank you, Sheila.” My secretary nodded and left the room.

I fiddled with the receiver before putting it up to my ear and pressing the blinking red light. “Jeff! Calling to congratulate me on a good win, I presume?”

“Whoa, you had a game tonight? Well, congratulations. It’s always good to get the season off on the right foot. But that’s not why I’m calling. What’s this I hear about a trade?”

“Jeff, last week [Pete] O’Brien physically assaulted me, saying that if he wasn’t going to start here, he would like to be traded. Not wanting to deal with him anymore, I obliged, and the Red Sox were willing takers.”

“I’ll say they were! Do you know his line from tonight? He went 2-5 with a home run! What did Murphy do?”

“He gave up a hit in 1/3 of an inning.”

“That means we’re already behind on the trade. I’m going to have to cut you off on any and all trades for the forseeable future. I thought you’d be a little gunshy after what happened to you in Kansas City…”

“The Mets called yesterday, inquiring about a trade possibility…”

“Will? Will? You still there? Hello?”

“Yeah, I’m here. I’m sorry, I just got…distracted.”

“I’m not paying you to sit and daydream. You hear me? No trades unless you see me first. Even then, I probably won’t allow it. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes sir.” I replied meekly.

“Good. Let’s keep this winning streak going, though. You can never win enough games, especially in the early part of the season.”

[EVEN11323]

Nice start. And FWIW, one of the guys you traded for might turn out to be a good pitching coach down the road!

[PotatoOfCouch13]

EVEN11323: Thanks! I hope to get far enough to see that potentially happen! And I need a good pitching coach, as you'll soon see...

*

8. April, Part I

Oakland at Seattle

2 – See above. Mariners 11-10

3 – Mike Moore returns to Seattle, and goes 8 shutout innings. The Mariners can only muster 5 hits against Moore and Burns. Mark McGwire and Rickey Henderson hit home runs for the A’s. A’s 5-0

RP Gene Harris has a sore right arm, and will be unavailable for the next few days.

4 – Despite striking out 7 batters, Randy Johnson gets lit up for 7 runs in 4 innings of work. Dave Stewart shuts down a suddenly anemic Mariners offense. A’s 9-1

Seattle (1-2) at Minnesota (0-3)

We start our road schedule against the only team worse than us in the AL West. We also face our first lefty of the season in John Candelaria, meaning Dave Valle will get the start in the 1st game.

5 – Kirby Puckett’s 1st-inning home run sets the tone for the whole game, as Candelaria strikes out 9 over 8 innings. Twins 7-2

6 – Valle stays in the lineup with lefty Allan Anderson on the bump for the Twins.

Despite giving up 3 home runs, the Mariners are able to hang on for the slugfest victory. Mike Schooler gets his first save of the season. Mariners 9-7

7 – Bradley is back behind the dish with the team facing a righty.

Kirby Puckett goes 4-4, falling a triple shy of the cycle. The Twins score 5 runs in the last 2 innings, including a walk-off homer by Puckett. Twins 9-7

8 – DAY OFF

Gene Harris is feeling 100%, and is ready to return to the bullpen.

Seattle (2-4) at New York (5-2)

Our first trip to the East Coast brings us to the door of the AL East-leading Yankees, who have relied on great pitching to propel them to the top of the division, with Don Mattingly doing absolutely nothing (.089, 0 RBI). Hopefully we can get out of NYC with at least 1 win.

Edgar Martinez is hitting .474, and Jeffrey Leonard is only hitting .217. Therefore, it makes sense to move Edgar up to the #3 slot, while dropping Jeffrey to #6. Darnell Coles will get some playing time in right field as Jay Buhner (.182) tries to get back on track. We also will flip Junior (.360) and Alvin (.227).

9 – The lineup changes work! Edgar hits a solo shot to put us on the board, and Darnell’s 2-out single in the 9th inning sparked the eventual game-winning rally. Mariners 3-2

10 – Valle technically catching, but not much got to him, as Randy Johnson gets shelled for 10 hits and 7 runs in 3 innings. Mattingly hits his 1st home run of the season. Yankees 9-6

11 – Bradley catching. Our first extra-inning game of the young season, as Briley singles home Omar after his 3rd double of the game, making a winner out of Mike Schooler, who blew a 1-run lead an inning before. Mariners 4-3 (10)

Our hottest hitter thus far this season, Edgar Martinez, has certainly been a welcome addition to the starting lineup. Replacing Mariner mainstay Jim Presley was no easy task, but Edgar has done remarkably well, hitting .400, 3 HR, and 8 RBI. However, he’ll miss at least one game with a bruised cheekbone. Darnell Coles takes over both in the #3 batting slot and at 3rd, and Jay Buhner returns to right field.

Chicago (4-5) at Seattle (4-5)

What? Fly back from New York City to play an afternoon game against the White Sox? Why not? Stupid schedule makers. Fortunately, the White Sox are missing rookie slugger Frank Thomas due to injury, but have plenty of other ways to hurt the mediocre Mariners pitching staff.

12 – Ken Griffey, Jr. is the Mariners offense today, going 3-4, and recording his 3rd career multi-home run game with 2 solo bombs, bringing the Mariners back to .500. Mariners 4-2

Edgar Martinez only needed to miss one day, so he’ll return to the hot corner, and Coles returns to right field.

13 – The White Sox pound out 22 hits, scoring 15 times. CF Sammy Sosa’s 2 home runs help Melido Perez to his 3rd victory of the young season. White Sox 15-2

Rob Murphy will be day-to-day with a pulled muscle in his chest. Meanwhile, in Boston, Pete O’Brien is hitting .317 with 4 home runs. By contrast, Alvin Davis and Jeffrey Leonard are a combined .198 with 1 home run. Yikes.

14 – Valle catching. Erik Hanson takes it the distance, striking out 6 batters en route to the first shutout of his young career. Edgar Martinez’ RBI single is all both teams get in this pitcher’s duel. Mariners 1-0

[PotatoOfCouch13]

MID-APRIL REPORT



NOTES
Raised “Stats vs. Scouting” to +50%

MILESTONES
4/2 – Padres 1B Jack Clark: 1000th RBI
4/10 – Brewers 3B Paul Molitor: 1000th Run

EXTENSIONS SIGNED
4/1 – SP Tom Candiotti (CLE), CF Dave Martinez (MON), SP David Cone (NYM), LF Mike Greenwell (BOS), SP Mark Gubicza (KC), 1B Will Clark (SF)
4/2 – 1B Mark McGwire (OAK), 1B Andres Galarraga (MON), CF Lenny Dykstra (PHI), RF Jose Canseco (OAK), SP Chuck Finley (CAL), SS Barry Larkin (CIN)
4/3 – SP Ron Darling (NYM), SP David Wells (TOR), 1B Fred McGriff (TOR)
4/4 – RP Duane Ward (TOR), CF Ellis Burks (BOS)
4/5 – LF Luis Polonia (NYY), 3B Wade Boggs (BOS)
4/7 – SP Mike Moore (OAK), SP Greg Maddux (CHC), 1B Rafael Palmeiro (TEX)
4/8 – SP Jamie Moyer (TEX), SP Jack Morris (DET)
4/9 – SP Jimmy Key (TOR)
4/11 – 3B Matt Williams (SF)

MAJOR INJURIES
Lower injury frequency to -50%, after having over 40 injuries in 14 days league-wide.

4/2 – Rangers 2B Julio Franco out 2-3 months (severe shoulder separation)
4/5 – Expos SP Dennis Martinez out 3 weeks (stress fracture in wrist)
4/6 – Twins 1B Kent Hrbek out 3-4 months (broken hip)
4/9 – Giants SS Dave Anderson out for season (broken wrist)
4/10 – White Sox 1B Frank Thomas out 2 weeks (stretched ankle ligament)
4/14 – Blue Jays SS Tony Fernandez out 2 weeks (separated shoulder)

TRADES
4/2 – Mariners trade 1B Pete O’Brien to Red Sox for RP Rob Murphy

Reversed 2 trades, then lowered trade frequency to -50% until June 1.

- Cubs trade 2B Ryne Sandberg to Royals for RP Steve Farr, C Bob Boone, 3B Kevin Seitzer, LF Bo Jackson, and CF Jim Eisenrich. (REVERSED)
- Orioles trade C Mickey Tettleton to Red Sox for 2B Tom Barrett, SS Jody Reed, and RF Dwight Evans. (REVERSED)

Both the Cubs and Orioles lose out on these deals. Although I dropped the ball by not seeing them immediately, all players were returned to their original team.

RETIREMENTS
4/1 - LF Butch Davis (31)
4/1 - 3B Skeeter Barnes (33)
4/6 – SP Jose DeJesus (25)
4/7 - SS Rafael Santana (32)

[soxfan93]

Nice job reversing those deals. I don't know if the Cubs and Orioles lose the deals, but one of the teams got ripped off.

Junior and Edgar look like they're playing well... Could we have expected anything less?

[PotatoOfCouch13]

soxfan93: I only wish I had caught them sooner. Then I wouldn't have this weird statline of 7 games played in a different uniform (a la Mike Piazza).

Junior's play isn't surprising. Edgar's is, especially after a season where he hit only .240. I'll chalk it up to small sample size, but I hope he continues hitting like that. I only wish they'd hit some more home runs...

*

9. A Brief Diversion from our Hero…

Paul Stanley would never hear the end of it. He had tried his whole life to become one of the best journalists in the Pacific Northwest, but he was always being overshadowed by his more famous counterpart, the famous KISS guitarist.

Stanley had spent 10 years at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, working his way up from a mailroom clerk to beat reporter for the Seahawks. He had a loving wife, 2 beautiful daughters, and job security. Besides his unfortunate moniker, life was perfect.

*

Paul was on vacation. With the NFL Draft only 2 weeks away, and the Seahawks holding the #3 pick, his time off was coming to a close. He was enjoying his final days at his lakeside cabin near the Canadian border, enjoying a glass of wine while watching the sun set over the trees in the distance.

RING.

The phone. Who could that be?

RING.

“Hello?”

“Paul Stanley…” a deep voice said, “…I have something that might interest you.”

“Who is this?”

“That’s not important. I need to meet with you. April 30, San Francisco, California. Lombard Street. 7 PM.”

“Wait wait, who is…”

*click*

“…this?”

[PotatoOfCouch13]

10. April, Part II

We’ve been lucky. Our Pythagorean record is only 3-9. We win the close games, but we get blown out every other time. And yet, we still sit only 2 games behind the AL West-leading Angels. Maybe it’s a sign that this is the year that the Mariners can finally get a winning record. In order to do that, our 6.62 team ERA needs to come waaaay down.

Seattle (6-6) at Kansas City (5-7)

I stayed in Seattle on the advice of my therapist. I don’t think I’m quite ready to face my demons yet. This will probably be a high-scoring series, as these teams have 2 of the 3 worst ERAs in the American League.

15 – Bradley catching. The Mariners get home runs from Coles, Briley, and Bradley, as Randy Johnson allows only 2 hits over 8 scoreless innings. The lanky southpaw struck out 9 batters en route to his first victory of the year. Mariners 7-0

16 – A sloppy slugfest. The Royals stake out an 8-2 lead, then survive the ensuing Mariners rally to win. Jeffrey Leonard hits his 1st home run of the season. Royals 8-7

Rob Murphy is ready to return to active duty.

17 – A wild game. The Mariners get out to a 7-0 lead, thanks to Junior’s 4th home run of the season. The Royals come roaring back, scoring 9 runs to retake the lead. The Mariners counter, scoring 3 more to take a 1-run lead into the bottom of the 9th. However, Schooler blows the save (3rd of the season), and ends up losing the game in the 10th. Royals 11-10 (10)

Randy Johnson experienced some joint pain when he was performing a routine bullpen session this afternoon. He has been diagnosed with a hip pointer. We’ll try a 4-man rotation, as he’s only scheduled to miss one start.

Seattle (7-8) at Detroit (7-9)

I rejoined the team in preparation for their 4-game series in the Motor City, where longtime 2B Lou Whitaker has been replaced by the younger Tony Phillips, who is struggling. The Tigers rely on the power of 4 men: starters Jack Morris and Frank Tanana, LF Larry Sheets, and 1B Cecil Fielder.

18 – Valle catching. 5 runs in the 7th and 8th innings are enough to survive some wild bullpen moments for the Mariners. Schooler rebounds with the 4-out save to give Bankhead his first win of the year. Mariners 7-5

19 – Bradley catching, Erik Hanson dealing. The 24-year-old added another gem to his already impressive season, going 8 innings, allowing only 1 run on 4 hits. Jackson loaded the bases but earned the save in a wild 9th. Mariners 2-1

20 – Cecil Fielder was king today, hitting 2 home runs and plating 5 runs, sparking the 5-run 7th inning rally to give the Tigers the win. Harris & Jackson: 4 IP, 5 RA. Tigers 11-6

21 – This was over after 4 innings. Bill Swift and Matt Young gave up 14 runs in 3.2 innings. Not a whole lot of bright spots today. Tigers 17-7

I ran some lineup changes by Jim Lefebvre. He was keen to the idea, and redesigned the lineup.

2B Harold Reynolds
SS Omar Vizquel
CF Ken Griffey Jr.
3B Edgar Martinez
DH Jeffrey Leonard
1B Alvin Davis
RF Darnell Coles
C Scott Bradley/Dave Valle
LF Greg Briley

California (13-5) at Seattle (9-10)

After 2 losses where our pitching staff gets hammered, we have to face the best team in the American League. 1B Wally Joyner is hitting .444, and their rotation has been lights out. Not looking good for us…

22 – Valle catching. For once, everything fell into place. Bankhead threw a 4-hit shutout, and the offense exploded for 10 runs. The one downer continued to be Alvin Davis, who was 0-5, and is mired in his worst slump in years. Mariners 10-0

Randy Johnson is back to 100%, and will start the final game of the series against the Angels.

23 – One positive: Alvin Davis hit a home run! Lots of negatives though, as the Angels bring their bats today, and slug 3 home runs en route to a big victory over Erik Hanson and the M’s. Angels 10-6

Harold Reynolds needs some time off with a pulled muscle in his chest. Brian Giles will take over at 2nd base and bat 9th, while Omar Vizquel will bat leadoff for the time being. Darnell Coles gets bumped up to the #2 spot.

24 – Jeffrey Leonard’s 3-run home run sparks a 6-run 6th inning for the Mariners, who get a ‘good enough’ effort from Randy Johnson and 2 relievers to take the series against the Angels. Mariners 11-6

25 – DAY OFF

Kansas City (10-11) at Seattle (11-11)

Back to .500, we welcome the team directly behind us to Seattle. The Royals took 2 of 3 from us in KC. Hopefully we can return the favor at home.

26 – Bradley catching. Brian Giles goes 3-3 with a home run, and Jay Buhner hit a pinch-hit grand slam to give the Mariners another slugfest victory. Might have to reconsider moving Bone back into the lineup… Mariners 11-7

Harold Reynolds is rested and ready, and will return to the starting lineup. Also returning will be Jay Buhner in right field, replacing Greg Briley. Jeffrey Leonard moves to left field, Edgar Martinez becomes the DH, and Darnell Coles is the new third baseman.

We really like Edgar’s bat, but his glove raises some questions. We’ll try this lineup, which I feel gives us a much better defensive team, without compromising our potent offense.

27 – Despite Ken Griffey’s 3 singles, the other Mariners can only manage 4 more hits as Kevin Appier shuts us down for 8 innings. Danny Tartabull’s 2-run homer is all the Royals would need in this one. Royals 4-1

Jerry Reed will miss the next few days with a sore muscle in his throwing arm.

28 – Despite 10 hits, the Mariners can only put up 3 runs, and for the second straight day, the offense is kept off guard by Royals pitchers. This time, Richard Dotson does the deed, going 7 strong for the win. Royals 7-3

29 – DAY OFF

Received a frantic call from Jeff today. It was the first time I’d heard from him since our exchange on Opening Day. He told me that the club was “hemorrhaging money”, and that I needed to slash payroll to a “reasonable amount” ASAP. With that in mind, I called several player agents, hoping that they’d consider renegotiating some contracts. Every single agent gave me the same answer: no.

Meanwhile, Jerry Reed is back to full health.

Texas (13-12) at Seattle (12-13)

Amazingly, we’re only 2.5 games behind the 3-team logjam at the top of the AL West. This is definitely proving to be the toughest division in baseball. We get our first look at the Rangers this season, who are powered by the young trio of Ruben Sierra, Juan Gonzalez, and Rafael Palmeiro. Their pitching staff is unimpressive: that is, outside of Nolan Ryan, of course.

30 – You remember how I said their staff was unimpressive? Color me impressed. Kevin Brown hurls a 3-hit shutout, completely dominating our lineup from top to bottom. The good news? 3 shutout innings from our bullpen. Rangers 4-0

Scott Bradley’s throw was too late to 2nd to try and catch Jeff Frye on a steal attempt, and he grasped his shoulder in pain. He suffered a severe shoulder separation, and will be out 2 month. This means that the platoon has ended, and Dave Valle will become the full-time catcher. Matt Sinatro has been called up to the active roster from AAA Calgary, as Bradley will be moved to the DL.

END OF APRIL

[EVEN11323]

Ouch on the injury to Bradley. Keep up the nice work, and hope you can stay around .500 for a while.

[PotatoOfCouch13]

EVEN11323: Losing Bradley hurts a lot. Coming into the season, that was one of my primary concerns. I was hoping that if a catcher did get injured, it would be Valle, as I have Sinatro rated higher (according to my +/- 10 scouting), so I could keep my platoon. Alas, the mogul gods were unkind to me this time...

.500 might be able to do it for me this year. In such a talented division, every team is just going to beat each other up. I wouldn't be surprised to see the AL West winner with fewer than 90 wins at the end of the year.

And by the way, do you have any extra 'Stanley nickels' lying around?

*

...continued

APRIL RECAP

STANDINGS

AL WEST
Oakland  	15-10	-
Chicago  	15-10	-
California	14-11	1
Texas		14-12	1.5
Kansas City	12-13	3
Seattle  	12-14	3.5
Minnesota	11-15	4.5

AL EAST
New York	15-11	-
Milwaukee	15-12	.5
Boston		13-13	2
Baltimore	13-13	2
Toronto  	11-14	3.5
Detroit		12-16	4
Cleveland	9-17	6

NL WEST
San Francisco	16-10	-
Houston  	13-14	3
Cincinnati	13-15	3.5
Los Angeles	11-14	4
Atlanta  	11-15	4.5
San Diego	10-18	6.5

NL EAST
Pittsburgh	18-10	-
St. Louis	17-10	.5
Chicago  	16-11	1.5
Montreal	13-13	4
New York	12-15	5.5
Philadelphia	11-15	6

LEAGUE LEADERS
AMERICAN LEAGUE

BATTING AVERAGE	
Gene Larkin (MIN)	.463
Wally Joyner (CAL)	.430
Jim Eisenreich (KC)	.406
	
HOME RUNS	
Mark McGwire (OAK)	15
Jose Canseco (OAK)	12
Jim Thome (CLE)    	11
Rob Deer (MIL)      	11
	
RUNS BATTED IN	
Ellis Burks (BOS)	36
Mark McGwire (OAK)	35
Cal Ripken Jr. (BAL)	34
Jose Canseco (OAK)	34
	
STOLEN BASES	
Luis Polonia (NYY)	19
Steve Sax (NYY)    	14
Alex Cole (CLE)      	12
	
WINS	
Melido Perez (CHW)	5
Tom Candiotti (CLE)	4
Teddy Higuera (MIL)	4
Dave Stewart (OAK)	4
	
ERA	
Tom Candiotti (CLE)	2.72
Jamie Moyer (TEX) 	2.72
Pascual Perez (NYY)	2.92
	
STRIKEOUTS	
Jack Morris (DET)	48
Teddy Higuera (MIL)	41
Roger Clemens (BOS)	40
	
SAVES	
Dan Plesac (MIL)	6
Gregg Olson (BAL)	5
Tom Henke (TOR)   	5

NATIONAL LEAGUE

BATTING AVERAGE	
Eric Davis (CIN)	.439
Larry Walker (MON)	.415
Tony Gwynn (SD)   	.405
	
HOME RUNS	
Matt Williams (SF)	10
Barry Bonds (PIT)	9
5 tied with       	8
	
RUNS BATTED IN	
Ricky Jordan (PHI)	30
Matt Williams (SF)	29
Craig Biggio (HOU)	28
Pedro Guerrero (STL)	28
	
STOLEN BASES	
Ozzie Smith (STL)	17
Vince Coleman (STL)	16
Gerald Young (HOU)	15
	
WINS	
Ken Hill (STL)      	6
Doug Drabek (PIT)	5
7 tied with      	4
	
ERA	
Mike Scott (HOU)	2.14
Bob Walk (PIT)    	2.48
Atlee Hammaker (SF)	2.84
	
STRIKEOUTS	
Greg Maddux (CHC)	46
John Smoltz (ATL)	41
F. Valenzuela (LA)	40
	
SAVES	
Tim Burke (MON)    	6
Steve Bedrosian (SF)	6
Todd Worrell (STL)	6

MARINERS STATS


MILESTONES
4/23 – Tigers SP Frank Tanana: 200th Win
4/29 – Tigers LF Larry Sheets: 22-Game Hitting Streak

EXTENSIONS
4/15 – SP Mark Langston (CAL)
4/17 – 1B Wally Joyner (CAL)
4/20 – 2B Ryne Sandberg (CHC) (go figure)
4/30 – SP Tom Glavine (ATL)

MAJOR INJURIES
4/20 – Royals 1B George Brett out 7 weeks (broken forearm)
4/24 – Red Sox SP Mike Boddicker out 3 weeks (dislocated shoulder)
4/24 – Mets RP Alejandro Pena out 2 weeks (stress fracture in hand)
4/26 – Giants LF Kevin Mitchell out 2 weeks (shoulder separation)
4/28 – Mets SP Bob Ojeda out 2 weeks (stress fracture in foot)

I guess living in New York is a lot more stressful than I imagined…

TRADES
None

RETIREMENTS
4/30 – 2B Paul Noce (30)

[EVEN11323]

Some pretty impressive OBPs from most of your line-up. Hope the ERAs come down though, some pretty ugly ones there. And no, I cashed in all of my Stanley nickels in exchange for $1000 Schrute Bucks. 5 extra minutes of lunch is mine!!!